The All Progressive Congress, APC, has criticised the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, for acting too slowly on the issuance of warning on illegal public political broadcast and campaign by political parties, saying that the commission’s late action is suspicious.
In a statement issued by the party national publicity secretary, Lai Mohammed, the APC stated that the late warning from INEC is coming at a time when President Goodluck Jonathan and his party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, are currently campaigning tirelessly in preparation for the 2015 general elections.
The statement said such action can never profit any candidates or other political parties.
Mohammed, who questioned INEC’s directive, wondered if it was a deliberate plan by the electoral umpire to put the PDP and the President ahead of other parties in 2015 elections.
He said the party is suprised that INEC had to wait this long after the Transformation Ambassador of Nigeria, TAN, had gone all over the country organising rallies in support of President Jonathan.
“When did INEC become aware that these actions are illegal considering section 221 of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which INEC quoted in its warning letter says that no association other than a political party shall canvas for votes for any candidate at election or contribute to the funds of any political party or to the election expenses of any poltical party at an election” it said.
APC said that what TAN has been doing across the country is to canvas for votes for President Jonathan, going against the provision of the Constitution and the Electoral Act, which ban political campaigns until 90 days before election.
”Our party, joined by well-meaning Nigerians, had publicly alerted INEC to these campaigns and the fact those behind them are breaking the law, but INEC merely responded with some unbelievable sophistry. Now that those illegal campaigns have run for several months, INEC suddenly awoke from its slumber to issue a warning on illegal campaign”. Mohammed stated.